Ordained Praise does not mean we are physically ordained. Rather we are spiritually ordained in Christ to meet the needs of our children. The Holy Spirit sends his guidance which enables us to reach out and understand the needs and desires of our children. Anything can happen when Christ is the center!

Expressions from our Youngest

Love it!

Tuesday, April 19, 2016

This month of April in Maryland is so nice when the temperature is in the low 70's because we can spend a lot of time out on our back deck without mosquitoes, knats, and heat. We thouroughly enjoyed the outdoors this past weekend.

To begin, this is a picture of my daughter getting ready to attend her junior prom on Friday night. She said, "we danced all night." Therefore, I know it was a good time. She double dated with her good friend. When I picked her up Saturday morning, I drove with the windows down and listened to oldies. It is about an hours drive as her friend lives in Virginia. This is what life is like when one lives in the Maryland, WDC, Virginia corridor. The kids private high schools have students attending from both states and often have to receive rides from parents to and from activities.

Furthermore, my hubby bought a new deck chair and pillows for the chairs we currently have on the deck. We ate our dinner both nights out on the back deck. Saturday we had Salmon and Sunday we had sishkabobs. Our neighbor's cat wanted some of our Salmon. It was quite comical. On Sunday, we said family prayers on the deck after dinner. Hubby and I were also able to take our traditional walks on the bike path in town. This is great exercise for us with my occasional arthritis and after my hubby's heart surgery.

On Sunday it was so heartwarming to hear our son playing with the neighbors children all day long. It is such a joy to hear the laughter of children in the neighborhood. My hubby and son also cleaned up all the debris in the yard (sticks and stuff). It is nice to see how helpful my youngest child is when we need help with something.

I was able to register and submit the downpayment for my son to attend a new homeschool coop next year that meets weekly. They provide history, science, art/choir, and IEW. It will be good for us. I also plan to continue to attend our current coop which is further away and meets bi-weekly. I will not have to plan and teach in the new coop. I can plan my materials over the summer to teach in the old coop. I will have to assist and help out where I can in both coops. I think we can swing both coops because the one we're in now does not include core subjects but usually fun type classes. I can do all my planning over the summer and it only meets twice a month. I've begun planning my crafts for the class I'm teaching this weekend.

I also began reading The Authority of Women in the Catholic Church by Monica Migliorino Miller (out on the back deck in my new chair). I'm really enjoying this book. I was able to call grandma to see how she is doing too. It was good to talk to her. We attended the 11:00 am Mass and there were baptisms for about 5 or 6 infants. It was nice to see. We completed the final edits on my son's book report about Thomas Aquinas, and I was able to take a long bath, shave, and apply lotion to my dry skin. It was a good weekend with beautiful weather that we took advantage of spending much time outdoors.

Thursday, April 14, 2016

Outside my window...it was a bright sunny day today and yesterday in Maryland. It is finally warming up a bit but is still too cool for me. It is often cool lately for this time in our state...in the 50's or low 60's. It is more often in the 70's during April in Maryland.

I am thinking...that I am grateful for the Bible study my hubby and I are attending at our parish. Some of the questions were:

1) Identify people and events that God used to help you come to faith in Jesus.The constant love between my own mother and father greatly greatly assisted me in falling in love with the Lord.Also, when I broke up with my first serious boyfriend, I finally realized how important family was to me.After I was assaulted in a woman's restroom, I turned to the Lord more often.Each of these situations played a huge role in fostering my faith life.2) Who cultivated your curiosity?My religious education classes taught me a lot about Jesus, the Mass drew me in, my parents constant love, and the suffering after the assault all cultivated my curiosity or planted seeds w/in me to explore further into His love. Both words, actions, suffering and His very presence drew me closer to the Lord.3) Who explained the Gospel? My religious education teachers taught me the parables and sacraments while my parents taught me through virtuous actions and living.4) Who invited you to make a personal decision to accept Christ into your life?It was never a choice. Christ was always present, and I ran to him. I've accepted the Lord from the beginning.

I am thankful...that I was able to hold the Journal Writing Class at my house today. The boys had so much fun. It was a beautiful day and they were able to play outside often. I am also grateful that my leg stopped hurting.

In the kitchen...We are having shish kabobs tonight.

I am wearing...a pair of blue warm ups with a grey jacket.

I am creating...I finished my craft and chose some Bible verses for my Journal Writing Class Thursday. I also chose some books for the Journal Writing Class I'm teaching at our homeschool coop next year too. I sent out the song with sign language we are going to learn and asked the moms to do a summer prerequisite for the class. They are to teach their children what the word VIRTUE means, point out examples, and practice the song occasionally. Friday I am looking at a closer coop to home which means we might do both coops as the one I'm in now only meets every other week and is 50 minutes away. Here is my Virtue Song:

Virtue
Song

(Tune: Here We Go Round the Mulberry Bush)

Help Me See the Virtue

The Virtue

The Virtue

Help Me See the Virtue

In the World Around Me

Help Me Have the Wisdom

The Wisdom

The Wisdom

Help Me have the Wisdom

In Decisions I Make

Help Me Seek the Knowledge

The Knowledge

The Knowledge

Help Me Seek the Knowledge

In People that I Trust

Anchor Thoughts
bring Joy

Bring Joy

Bring Joy

Anchor Thoughts bring Joy

To Everyone I Meet

I am going... to check out another coop tomorrow that is closer to home. They offer History, Science, Art/Music, and IEW course. It sounds great. They meet once a week.

I am wondering...how my daughter will enjoy her junior prom tomorrow night. She is double dating with a friend. I picked her dress up from the cleaners today as it needed to be hemmed.

I am looking forward to... picking up my dog, Bella, from the vet later today. When I woke up, I noticed a big stain of blood on our white couch. She kept licking as though she were swallowing the blood. The vet said, "she had a 3.5 leison under the right side of her tongue and her tooth was loose. The tooth had to be extracted and she needed stitches. Nobody knows what she did to herself.

I am hearing...my two sons and I clicking away on computers.Around the house...I need to organize better.

I am praying...for Ted Cruz and his family.

One of my favorite things...teaching my son how to write and communicate.

A few plans for the rest of the week...is to visit the new coop, get my nails done with my daughter, drive my daughter to her friend's house on prom night and take pictures, pick up my dog, and continue to pray for the list of people I wrote down on paper. It helps me to remember when it is written down.

About Me

Our family is very blessed with five beautiful children who are striving to follow Our Dear Lord in everything they take on in life. We have been fortunate to be very active in their education and have benefitted from some very fine Catholic schools. We devoted our marriage to the Blessed Mother and believe she brings our prayers to the Lord which unites us in the Faith. Our Faith life is central to all our endeavors.

The United States of America

"Stay Out of the Thorns"

Order the game I created for children 3 to 10 years old that reinforces some biblical passages and is loads of fun to play. (Adults will like it too.) It is very easy to learn. I have not priced it yet but am working towards trying to make it more affordable. I used it for the Co-op class I taught and the children loved it. It takes 20 to 30 minutes to play. See my website http://www.nucleusoflife.com/ under the teacher aids section for a customers feedback/description on this game.